Sen. Joel Anderson

This measure would declare the support of the Legislature for federal tax policies designed to encourage growth, incentivize corporations to remain in the United States, and reduce competitive disadvantages for companies based in the United States, particularly those in the biomedical and life sciences industry. The measure would further urge the President and Congress to enact specified tax strategies to encourage domestic economic growth.

Under existing law, the Secretary of State is required, as specified, to designate an address for a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking that serves as the person's address for the purposes of enabling state and local agencies to respond to requests for public records without disclosing a program participant's residence address contained in any public record and otherwise provide for confidentiality of identity for that person, subject to specified conditions. This bill would authorize the Secretary of State, upon the request of a program participant, to designate an alternate physical address if the participant is prohibited from using a post office box as an address.

Existing law exempts certain peace officers from voir dire in civil and criminal matters, and other specified peace officers from voir dire in criminal matters. This bill would exempt designated employees of the Department of Fish and Game, as specified, from voir dire in both civil and criminal matters.

This measure would designate the portion of State Highway Route 76 southeast of Lake Henshaw as the Luiseño Highway. The measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering the cost, to erect those signs.

(1) Under existing law, when the Department of Motor Vehicles determines that an applicant is lawfully entitled to a driver's license, the department is required to issue that license to the applicant. Existing law specifies the contents of a driver's license and requires the application for a driver's license or identification card to contain a space for an applicant to indicate whether he or she has served in the Armed Forces of the United States and to give his or her consent to be contacted regarding eligibility to receive state or federal veterans' benefits. This bill would, commencing November 11, 2015, allow an applicant for a driver's license or identification card to allow a person to request the driver's license or identification card be printed with the word "VETERAN." The applicant would be required to present to the Department of Motor Vehicles, on a form developed jointly by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Motor Vehicles, proof of veteran status. The bill would require county veterans service offices to verify an applicant's veteran status for these purposes, as specified. The department would be required to print the word "VETERAN" on the face of a driver's license or identification card issued to a person who makes that request and presents that verification to the department. (2) Existing law establishes certain fee amounts for the applications for, and renewal of, driver's licenses and identification cards. This bill would authorize the department to charge an additional fee in an unspecified amount to a person who requests that the person's driver's license or identification card be designated as provided above.

Under existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, the State Department of Developmental Services is authorized to contract with regional centers to provide support and services to individuals with developmental disabilities. Existing law requires a regional center to include specified information on its Internet Web site for the purpose of promoting transparency and access to public information that includes specified information. This bill would require that information to include specified information about payments to vendors and to nonprofit housing organizations.

Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to disburse funds, appropriated to the department for the purpose of supporting county veterans service officers pursuant to the annual Budget Act, on a pro rata basis, to counties that comply with certain conditions. This bill would authorize the department, in conjunction with the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers, no later than July 1, 2015, to develop an allocation formula based upon performance standards that encourage innovation and reward outstanding service by county veterans service officers, and, if that allocation formula is developed, the bill would require those moneys appropriated for support of county veterans service offices in the annual Budget Act to be allocated in accordance with that formula, as specified.

Existing law, as amended by Proposition 21, as approved by the voters at the March 7, 2000, statewide primary election, provides that any person who actively participates in any criminal street gang with knowledge that its members engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal gang activity, and who willfully promotes, furthers, or assists in any felonious criminal conduct by members of that gang, shall be punished, as specified. Existing law defines "a pattern of criminal gang activity" as the commission of, attempted commission of, conspiracy to commit, or solicitation of, sustained juvenile petition for, or conviction of, 2 or more listed offenses. Proposition 21 may be amended by a statute passed by a 23 vote of the membership of each house of the Legislature. This bill would add human trafficking as an offense that may be used to establish a pattern of criminal gang activity. Because this bill would amend Proposition 21, the bill requires a 23 vote. Because this bill would change the definition of a crime and require a higher level of service from local prosecutors in pleading and proving the enhancement, it would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also correct cross-references and make conforming changes. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law prescribes various duties for the Department of General Services in connection with development and maintenance of the park around the State Capitol building. This bill would allow the department to be responsible for the planning and construction of a monument in the State Capitol park in honor of the contributions, history, and culture made by Native Americans in California. It would require that the planning, construction, and maintenance of the monument be funded with private donations through a nonprofit foundation to be established. The bill would require the department to prepare a maintenance agreement outlining the responsibility of that nonprofit foundation for the long-term maintenance of the monument due to aging, vandalism, or relocation. The bill would require the department, in conjunction with the Historic State Capitol Commission and that nonprofit foundation, to approve the design, determine the location, review preliminary design plans, and review final construction documents for the monument, as provided. The bill would prohibit construction of the monument until the master plan of the State Capitol Park is approved and adopted by the Joint Committee on Rules, and the Joint Committee on Rules and the Department of Finance have determined that sufficient private funding is available to construct and maintain the memorial.

Existing property tax law establishes a veterans' organization exemption under which property is exempt from taxation if, among other things, that property is used exclusively for charitable purposes and is owned by a veterans' organization. This bill would provide that the veterans' organization exemption shall not be denied to a property on the basis that the property is used for fraternal, lodge, or social club purposes, and would make specific findings and declarations in that regard. The bill would also provide that the exemption shall not apply to any portion of a property that consists of a bar where alcoholic beverages are served. Section 2229 of the Revenue and Taxation Code requires the Legislature to reimburse local agencies annually for certain property tax revenues lost as a result of any exemption or classification of property for purposes of ad valorem property taxation. This bill would provide that, notwithstanding Section 2229 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, no appropriation is made and the state shall not reimburse local agencies for property tax revenues lost by them pursuant to the bill. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.